Rongguo Mansion is located in Zhengding County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province. It is a complex of antique buildings constructed based on the description of Rongguo Mansion in the classic Chinese literary work "Dream of the Red Chamber". It is currently a national 4A-level tourist attraction. The scenic area features the reproduction of the living scenes of Rongguo Mansion as described in "Dream of the Red Chamber" as its core characteristic. Its architectural style strictly follows the regulations of Qing Dynasty court architecture, with a rigorous layout and magnificent momentum. It is one of the earliest large-scale film and television shooting bases built in China and an important window for displaying Redology culture.
Rongguo Mansion covers an area of approximately over 40,000 square meters, with a construction area of 17,000 square meters. It has more than 400 rooms and over 100 verandas. The buildings in the scenic area are divided into three routes: middle, east, and west. The middle route is the main building complex of the mansion, including the main gate of Rong Mansion, the outer ceremonial gate, the south-facing hall, the inner ceremonial gate, and the Rongxi Hall, etc.; the east route is Jia She's courtyard; the west route is Jia Zheng's courtyard, along with characteristic courtyards such as Grandmother Jia's courtyard and Wang Xifeng's courtyard, which comprehensively restore the layout and style of Rongguo Mansion as described in "Dream of the Red Chamber".
History and Culture
Zhengding Rongguo Mansion was built in 1984, jointly constructed by China Central Television and the People's Government of Zhengding County. Its original purpose was to provide a real scene for the shooting of the TV series "Dream of the Red Chamber". The project took over a year and was officially completed in 1986. It immediately became the main shooting location for the 1987 version of "Dream of the Red Chamber". A large number of classic scenes in the drama were filmed here, such as "Imperial Concubine's Visit to Her Family" and "Daiyu's Entry into the Mansion".
The completion of Rongguo Mansion not only promoted the dissemination of "Dream of the Red Chamber" culture but also injected vitality into the cultural tourism industry of Zhengding County. As an important carrier of Chinese Redology culture, the scenic area displays the cultural connotations of "Dream of the Red Chamber" from multiple perspectives through architecture, furnishings, and exhibits, attracting numerous Redology researchers and enthusiasts to visit. In addition, Rongguo Mansion has driven the development of domestic film and television base tourism, becoming a successful example of the integration of film and television culture and the tourism industry. To this day, many film and television works are still shot here.
Main Attractions
Main Gate of Rong Mansion
The main gate of Rong Mansion is the front gate of Rongguo Mansion, built in accordance with the regulations of Qing Dynasty princely mansions. It has three bays in width, with a gable and hip roof covered with green glazed tiles. A plaque reading "Rongguo Mansion" hangs under the eaves. There is a pair of majestic stone lions on both sides of the gate, and horse mounting stones and horse hitching posts are set in front of the gate, fully showing the grandeur of a wealthy family. The design of the gate strictly follows the description of the main gate of Rongguo Mansion in "Dream of the Red Chamber" and is a landmark building that demonstrates the status and majesty of Rongguo Mansion.
Rongxi Hall
Rongxi Hall is the core building on the middle route of Rongguo Mansion. It is the main residence of Jia Zheng and his wife and a place for holding important celebrations and receiving distinguished guests in the mansion. In the center of the hall hangs the plaque "Rongxi Hall", with couplets written by the emperor's own hand on both sides. The interior is magnificently furnished with red sandalwood tables and chairs, antique vases, celebrity calligraphy and paintings, etc., fully displaying the luxury of an aristocratic family. Rongxi Hall has a large architectural scale, with five bays in width and three bays in depth. It is one of the highest-ranking buildings in Rongguo Mansion, reproducing the scene described in "Dream of the Red Chamber" as "Pearls on the seats shine like sun and moon; embroidered garments in the hall glow like clouds".
Grandmother Jia's Courtyard
Grandmother Jia's Courtyard is located on the west route of Rongguo Mansion. It is Grandmother Jia's residence, reflecting her noble status in the family. The courtyard consists of a main house and east-west wing rooms, with an elegant layout. Flowers, plants, and trees are planted in the courtyard, creating a quiet environment. The main house is exquisitely furnished with arhat beds, flower stands, antique shelves, etc., decorated with embroidery, hanging screens, and other items, exuding simplicity and warmth everywhere. The courtyard also has Grandmother Jia's living room, reception hall, etc., restoring the scenes of Grandmother Jia's daily life and banquets with her children and grandchildren.
Wang Xifeng's Courtyard
Wang Xifeng's Courtyard is located on the east side of the middle route of Rongguo Mansion. It is the residence of Wang Xifeng and Jia Lian. The courtyard is small and exquisite, with the main house named "Rongqing Hall". The interior furnishings are gorgeous yet lively, reflecting both Wang Xifeng's status as a housekeeper and her personality traits. The east and west wing rooms in the courtyard are respectively the residences of Ping'er and other maids. The overall layout is compact and fully functional, vividly showing the living environment of Wang Xifeng, who is described in "Dream of the Red Chamber" as "a hero among the women".
Lin Daiyu's Courtyard
Lin Daiyu's Courtyard is located on the west route of Rongguo Mansion, adjacent to Grandmother Jia's Courtyard. It is where Lin Daiyu lived after entering the mansion. The courtyard is quiet and elegant, with the main house named "Xiaoxiang Pavilion", taken from the name of Daiyu's residence "Xiaoxiang Pavilion" in "Dream of the Red Chamber". Bamboo is planted in the courtyard, symbolizing Daiyu's noble character. The interior furnishings are simple and elegant, with desks, qin platforms, bookshelves, etc., conforming to Daiyu's image of a literati. This place restores many scenes of Daiyu reading, playing the qin, and interacting with Baoyu and other relatives and friends here.
Jia Zheng's Study
Jia Zheng's Study is located on the middle route of Rongguo Mansion. It is a place where Jia Zheng handles affairs and reads. The bookshelves in the study are filled with various books, landscape paintings and calligraphy works are hung on the walls, and four treasures of the study are placed on the desk. The overall atmosphere is solemn and elegant, reflecting Jia Zheng's cultural accomplishment and serious character as a feudal scholar-official. The layout of the study strictly follows the description of Jia Zheng's study in "Dream of the Red Chamber" and is an important place to display the cultural atmosphere of Rongguo Mansion.
Lixiang Courtyard
Lixiang Courtyard is located in the southeast corner of Rongguo Mansion. It was initially a place for Duke Rong to live in seclusion in his later years, and later became the residence of Aunt Xue when she stayed in Rongguo Mansion with Xue Pan and Xue Baochai. The courtyard is independent, with a quiet environment. Pear trees are planted in the courtyard, hence the name "Lixiang Courtyard" (Pear Fragrance Courtyard). The architectural layout of the courtyard is simple, with main houses and wing rooms all available, restoring the scene of Xue Baochai living here as described in "Dream of the Red Chamber". It is also one of the places where plots such as "the golden and jade marriage" took place.
Food
Zhengding Majia Chicken
Zhengding Majia Chicken is one of the most representative foods around Rongguo Mansion, with a history of more than 100 years. It uses locally raised free-range chickens as raw materials, stewed with dozens of spices. The finished product has a golden color, tender meat, which is tender but not scattered, with a mellow fragrance. There are many time-honored Majia Chicken shops in Zhengding Ancient City near Rongguo Mansion. Tourists can go to taste it after the tour, which is a must-try food to experience Zhengding's flavor.
Zhengding Eight Great Bowls
Zhengding Eight Great Bowls is a local traditional banquet dish, consisting of eight stewed dishes, including four meat dishes and four vegetarian dishes. The meat dishes usually include braised chicken, braised pork, braised meatballs, etc., and the vegetarian dishes include braised tofu, braised vermicelli, braised cabbage, etc. The Eight Great Bowls pay attention to heat control, with rich soup and mellow taste, reflecting the rich flavor of northern cuisine. It is available in many restaurants around Rongguo Mansion, suitable for dining with a group of people to experience Zhengding's food culture.
Ganglu Shaobing (Cylinder Oven Biscuits)
Ganglu Shaobing is a characteristic snack of Zhengding. It is made of flour and sesame as the main raw materials, baked in a cylinder oven. It has a crispy texture and a salty and delicious taste. It is often sold by vendors on the streets near Rongguo Mansion, with a reasonable price. It can be used as a snack during the tour, and tastes better when paired with the local lamb offal soup.
Tickets
As of August 11, 2025, the ticket price is 40 yuan per person.
You can search for the official public account "正定荣国府景区" on WeChat to get the latest updates.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are adjusted with the seasons: in summer (April 1 - October 31), it is 8:00 - 18:00, and entry stops at 17:30; in winter (November 1 - March 31 of the following year), it is 8:30 - 17:00, and entry stops at 16:30. The opening hours may be appropriately extended during legal holidays and peak tourist seasons. It is recommended that tourists check the latest information through the official channels of the scenic area before traveling to avoid delaying their itinerary.
Tour Route
Tourists can enter the scenic area through the main gate of Rong Mansion. First, visit the gate and the surrounding stone lions, horse mounting stones, etc., to feel the grandeur of Rongguo Mansion; then enter the middle route, visit the outer ceremonial gate, the south-facing hall, and the inner ceremonial gate in sequence, and reach the core building Rongxi Hall to appreciate the core layout of Rongguo Mansion; then go to the west route to visit Grandmother Jia's Courtyard and Lin Daiyu's Courtyard to experience the living environment of the female members in the mansion; then go to the east route to visit Jia She's Courtyard and Jia Zheng's Study to understand the activity places of the male members of the family; finally, go to Lixiang Courtyard in the southeast corner to feel the living scene of Aunt Xue's family. The entire tour route is about 1.5 kilometers, and the recommended visiting time is 2-3 hours, which allows you to fully appreciate the architectural style of Rongguo Mansion and the cultural connotations of "Dream of the Red Chamber".
Transportation
- Public transportation: Take Metro Line 1 from downtown Shijiazhuang to "Zhengding Ancient City" Station, then transfer to Zhengding Bus No. 137, 143, 164, etc., and get off at "Rongguo Mansion" Station; there are also direct long-distance buses from downtown Shijiazhuang to Zhengding. After getting off at Zhengding Bus Station, it takes about 5 minutes by taxi to reach Rongguo Mansion, with a fare of about 8 yuan.
- Self-driving: Starting from downtown Shijiazhuang, drive north along Tiyu North Street, enter Zhengding County via Zilong Bridge, drive east along Changshan Road to Xingrong Road and turn right to reach. The parking fee standard of the scenic area parking lot is 5 yuan per hour.
- Taxi/online car-hailing: Taking a taxi from downtown Shijiazhuang to Rongguo Mansion, the whole journey is about 30 kilometers, with a fare of about 60-80 yuan; taking a taxi to Rongguo Mansion within Zhengding County, the fare is generally between 5-15 yuan depending on the departure location.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Rongxi Hall: The core building of Rongguo Mansion, with five bays in width and three bays in depth. The hall is luxuriously furnished, restoring the important activity place of the aristocratic family in "Dream of the Red Chamber". It is a key attraction to understand the hierarchy and culture of Rongguo Mansion.
- Grandmother Jia's Courtyard: A courtyard showing Grandmother Jia's noble status in the family. The architectural layout is elegant, and the furnishings are simple, restoring Grandmother Jia's living scenes in "Dream of the Red Chamber" and reflecting the ethical order of the feudal big family.
- Lin Daiyu's Courtyard (Xiaoxiang Pavilion): Daiyu's residence restored according to the description in "Dream of the Red Chamber". The courtyard is full of bamboo, and the furnishings are elegant, vividly showing Daiyu's literati temperament and living environment. It is a must-visit place for Redology enthusiasts.
- Main Gate of Rong Mansion: The iconic entrance of Rongguo Mansion, built in strict accordance with the regulations of Qing Dynasty princely mansions, reflecting the grandeur of Rongguo Mansion. It is a popular place for taking photos as a souvenir.
Travel Suggestions
- The attractions of Rongguo Mansion are compactly arranged with rich cultural connotations. It is recommended to arrange 2-3 hours for the visit, and you can cooperate with the scenic area's explanation to deeply understand the relevant allusions of "Dream of the Red Chamber".
- Spring and autumn have suitable climates, which are suitable for visiting. At this time, the vegetation in the scenic area is lush and the scenery is beautiful; in summer, you can avoid the high temperature at noon, and in winter, you can feel the winter atmosphere of the northern courtyard.
- The scenic area provides electronic guide rental services, with a fee of about 20 yuan per unit. You can also hire a scenic area interpreter, with a fee of about 50 yuan per time, which helps to deeply understand the background stories and cultural connotations of each attraction.
- Rongguo Mansion is adjacent to attractions such as Zhengding Longxing Temple and Zhengding Ancient City Wall. These attractions can be arranged in the same itinerary to fully experience the history and culture of Zhengding.
- Fans of the 1987 version of "Dream of the Red Chamber" can familiarize themselves with the scenes in the drama in advance, and look for the corresponding shooting locations during the tour, such as the route of Daiyu entering the mansion and the place where the imperial concubine visited her family, to increase the fun of the tour.
Notes
- Most of the buildings and furnishings in the scenic area are antique buildings and cultural relic replicas. Tourists should take good care of the facilities, do not touch or carve at will, and do not climb the antique buildings.
- Keep the scenic area quiet and clean, do not spit, litter, make loud noises, and abide by public order.
- Smoking is prohibited in the scenic area, and flammable, explosive and other dangerous goods are strictly prohibited from entering.
- The light in some buildings is dim, and the ground may be uneven. Please pay attention to safety during the tour, especially the elderly and children need to walk carefully.
- Abide by the scenic area regulations when taking photos. The use of flash is prohibited in some areas to avoid damage to the furnishings.
- There are souvenir shops and small catering points in the scenic area. You can also bring your own drinking water and snacks, but you need to pay attention to keeping the environment clean.
- There are many tourists during holidays. It is recommended to travel during off-peak hours or buy tickets in advance through official channels to reduce waiting time.